Artwork
舊傳錢選 錦堂圖 卷|Brocade Hall
舊傳錢選 錦堂圖 卷|Brocade Hall is an ink painting by the Baroque artist After Qian Xuan. It dates from 1778 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. ‘Brocade Hall’ is a hand‑scroll painting on silk, executed in ink and color in 1778.
About this work
Overview
‘Brocade Hall’ is a hand‑scroll painting on silk, executed in ink and color in 1778. The work is attributed to the workshop of Qian Xuan, a noted painter of the Qing period, and is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The scroll depicts a forested landscape populated by a group of figures in traditional Chinese dress, accompanied by several horses. The figures stand near the animals amid a setting of trees and rock formations, suggesting a scene of travel or a ceremonial procession within a natural environment.
Technique & Style
Rendered in the conventions of Chinese landscape painting, the composition employs vigorous brushwork and a palette of bright pigments. The horses are treated with a degree of anatomical observation, showing muscular detail and a sense of movement that contrasts with the more stylized treatment of the surrounding foliage.
History & Provenance
Created in the late eighteenth century, the scroll reflects the continued influence of Qian Xuan’s artistic lineage. It entered the Metropolitan Museum’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, though the precise chain of ownership before its arrival at the museum is not fully documented.
Context
The piece belongs to a tradition of literati painting that combined poetic narrative with visual representation of elite leisure activities. Its subject matter, people and horses in a cultivated natural setting, aligns with the Qing dynasty’s interest in idealized depictions of aristocratic life and the harmonious relationship between humanity and nature.
Artist & collection
Artist
Working after Qian Xuan, the painter rendered scenes of the past in fine detail. The Brocade Hall scroll shows scholars in a misty garden, their robes crisp against the silk. Look closely and one scholar steals a glance…
